Difference between revisions of "Ambassador"

<p> Stands for two [[Hebrew]] words: '''''Malahch''''' , "messenger," and '''''Tzeer''''' , "ambassador." Israel's commanded isolation rendered embassies an infrequent occurrence; they were mere nuncios rather than plenipotentiaries. The earliest instances occur in the case of Edom, Moab, and the [[Amorites]] (&nbsp;Numbers 20:14; &nbsp;Numbers 21:21). [[Gibeon]] feigned an ambassage (&nbsp;Joshua 9:4). The ambassador's person was regarded as inviolable (&nbsp;2 Samuel 10:2-5; &nbsp;2 Samuel 12:26-31). </p> <p> Men of high rank usually; as [[Sennacherib]] sent his chief captain, Chief cupbearer, and chief eunuch, Tartan, Rabsaris, Rabshakeh, whom Hezekiah's chief men of the kingdom, [[Eliakim]] over the household, [[Shebna]] the secretary, and [[Joab]] the recorder, met (&nbsp;2 Kings 18:17-18; &nbsp;Isaiah 30:4; &nbsp;Isaiah 33:7; compare &nbsp;Isaiah 18:2). Once in New Testament, "we are ambassadors for Christ" (&nbsp;2 Corinthians 5:20); treating with men "in Christ's stead": God "beseeching," and His ambassadors "praying" men to be reconciled to God. Majesty, faithfulness, yet withal tenderness, are implied. Our part is to send prayers, as our ambassage, to meet God's ambassadors, desiring His conditions of peace (&nbsp;Luke 14:32; &nbsp;Isaiah 27:5). </p>

<p> a public minister sent from one sovereign prince, as a representative of his person, to another. At [[Athens]] ambassadors mounted the pulpit of the public orators, and there acquainted the people with their errand. At Rome they were introduced to the senate, and there delivered their commissions (Smith's Dict. of Class. Antiq. s.v. Legatus). </p> <p> In the Old Testament, the word '''''צַיר''''' , ''Tsir,'' one who goes on an ''Errand,'' is thus rendered in &nbsp;Joshua 9:4; &nbsp;Proverbs 13:17; &nbsp;Isaiah 18:2; &nbsp;Jeremiah 49:14; &nbsp;Obadiah 1:1; and this translation is used for '''''מֵלַיוֹ''''' , ''Melits', An Interpreter,'' in 2 Chronicles 22:31; also for '''''מִלְאָךְ''''' , ''Malac', Messenger,'' in &nbsp;2 Chronicles 35:21; &nbsp;Isaiah 30:4; &nbsp;Isaiah 33:7; &nbsp;Ezekiel 17:15. Ministers of the Gospel in the New [[Testament]] are said to be ambassadors ( '''''Πρεσβεύω''''' ) '','' because they are appointed by God to declare his will to amen, and to promote a spiritual alliance with Him (&nbsp;2 Corinthians 5:20; &nbsp;Ephesians 6:20). (See [[Alliance]]). The relations of the Hebrew with foreign nations were too limited to afford much occasion for the services of ambassadors. Still, the long course of their history affords some examples of the employment of such functionaries, which enable us to discover the position which they were considered to occupy. Of ambassadors resident at a foreign court they had, of course, no notion, all the embassies of which we read being "extraordinary," or for special services and occasions, such as to congratulate a king on his accession or victories, or to condole with him in his troubles (&nbsp;2 Samuel 8:15; &nbsp;2 Samuel 10:2; &nbsp;1 Kings 5:1), to remonstrate in the case of wrong (&nbsp;Judges 11:12), to solicit favors (&nbsp;Numbers 20:14), or to contract alliances (&nbsp;Joshua 9:3 sq.; &nbsp;1 [[Maccabees]] 8:17). </p> <p> The notion that the ambassador represented the person of the sovereign who sent him, or the dignity of the state from which he came, did not exist in ancient times in the same sense as now. He was a highly distinguished and privileged messenger, and his dignity (&nbsp;2 Samuel 10:1-5) was rather that of our heralds than of our ambassadors. It may have been owing, in some degree, to the proximity of all the nations with which the [[Israelites]] had intercourse that their ambassadors were intrusted with few, if any, discretionary powers, and could not go beyond the letter of their instructions. In general, their duty was limited to the delivering of a message and the receiving of an answer; and if this answer was such as required a rejoinder, they returned for fresh instructions, unless they had been authorized how to act or speak in case such an answer should be given. </p> <p> The largest act performed by ambassadors appears to have been the treaty of alliance contracted with the [[Gibeonites]] (Joshua 9), who were supposed to have come from "a far country;" and the treaty which they contracted was in agreement with the instructions with which they professed to be furnished. In allowing for the effect of proximity, it must be remembered that the ancient ambassadors of other nations, even to countries distant from their own, generally adhered to the letter of their instructions, and were reluctant to act on their own discretion. Generals of armies must not, however, be confounded with ambassadors in this respect. The precept given in &nbsp;Deuteronomy 20:10, seems to imply some such agency; rather, however, that of a mere nuncio, often bearing a letter (&nbsp;2 Kings 5:5; &nbsp;2 Kings 19:14), than of a legate empowered to treat. The inviolability of such an officer's person may perhaps be inferred from the only recorded infraction of it being followed with unusual severities toward the vanquished, probably designed as a condign chastisement of that offense (&nbsp;2 Samuel 10:2-5; comp. 12:26-31). The earliest examples of ambassadors employed occur in the cases of Edom, Moab, and the Amorites (&nbsp;Numbers 20:14; &nbsp;Numbers 21:21; &nbsp;Judges 11:17-19), afterward in that of the fraudulent Gibeonites (&nbsp;Joshua 9:4, etc.), and in the instances of civil strife mentioned in &nbsp;Judges 11:12; &nbsp;Judges 20:12 (see Cunaeus ''De Rep. Hebr.'' 2, 20, with notes by [[Nicolaus]] in Ugolini ''Thesaur.'' 3, 771-774). They are mentioned more frequently during and after the contact of the great adjacent monarchies of Syria, Babylon, etc., with those of Judah and Israel, e.g. in the invasion of Sennacherib. They were usually men of high rank, as in that case the chief captain, the chief cup-bearer, and chief of the eunuchs were deputed, and were met by delegates of similar dignity from [[Hezekiah]] (&nbsp;2 Kings 18:17-18; see also &nbsp;Isaiah 30:4). Ambassadors are found to have been employed, not only on occasions of hostile challenge or insolent menace (&nbsp;2 Kings 14:8; &nbsp;1 Kings 20:2; &nbsp;1 Kings 20:6), but of friendly compliment, of request for alliance or other aid, of submissive deprecation, and of curious inquiry (&nbsp;2 Kings 14:8; &nbsp;2 Kings 16:7; &nbsp;2 Kings 18:14; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 32:31). The dispatch of ambassadors with urgent haste is introduced as a token of national grandeur in the obscure prophecy in &nbsp;Isaiah 18:2. (See [[Messenger]]). </p>

<p> ''''' am ''''' - ''''' bas´a ''''' - ''''' dor ''''' ( מלאך , <i> ''''' mal'ākh ''''' </i> , "messenger"; לוּץ , <i> ''''' 'lūc ''''' </i> , "interpreter"; ציר , <i> ''''' cı̄r ''''' </i> , "to go"; hence a messenger; πρεσβεύω , <i> ''''' presbeúō ''''' </i> , "to act as an ambassador," literally, to be older): An ambassador is an official representative of a king or government, as of [[Pharaoh]] (&nbsp;Isaiah 30:4 ); of the princes of Babylon (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 32:31 ); of Neco, king of Egypt (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 35:21 ); of the messengers of peace sent by Hezekiah, king of Judah, to Sennacherib, king of [[Assyria]] (&nbsp;Isaiah 33:7 ). The same Hebrew term is used of the messengers sent by Jacob to [[Esau]] (&nbsp;Genesis 32:3 ); by Moses to the king of [[Edom]] (&nbsp;Numbers 20:14 ). For abundant illustration consult "Messenger" (מלאך , <i> ''''' mal'ākh ''''' </i> ) in any concordance. See [[Concordance]] . The inhabitants of Gibeon made themselves pretended ambassadors to Joshua in order to secure by deceit the protection of a treaty ("covenant") (&nbsp;Joshua 9:4 ). </p> <p> In the New Testament the term is used in a figurative sense. As the imprisoned representative of Christ at Rome Paul calls himself "an ambassador in chains" (&nbsp;Ephesians 6:20 ); and in &nbsp;2 Corinthians 5:20 includes, with himself, all ministers of the gospel, as "ambassadors ... on behalf of Christ," commissioned by Him as their sovereign Lord, with the ministry of reconciling the world to God. The Bible contains no finer characterization of the exalted and spiritual nature of the minister's vocation as the representative of Jesus Christ, the King of kings, and [[Saviour]] of the world. </p>